Date Posted: 12/28/20
NCP Blog: A Brief History Of Shopping Carts
As I was shopping last week, I noticed the shopping cart I was using was in really good shape. There were no wheels spinning wildly out of control, the wheel alignment was so good that the cart didn’t veer off to the right, and there was no tattered store circular or crumbled, expired coupons spread out all over the cart.
Also, a young woman who worked at the store had enthusiastically wiped down my cart (especially the handle) with a disinfecting wipe before I took possession of it. I knew then I was going to have a great shopping experience! LOL
What Would We Do Without Shopping Carts?
This, naturally, got me thinking about shopping carts. In particular, the history of shopping carts. Who had the bright idea in the first place?
A little research turned up the answers I was looking for.
In 1936, Sylvan Goldman was the owner of several Standard/Piggly Wiggly grocery stores in Oklahoma. At the time, the stores supplied shoppers with a small wooden or wire basket for them to carry as they wandered up and down the aisles.
Once the basket got too heavy, though, customers headed for the check-out line, which was a situation Goldman wanted to avoid. To keep them buying, Goldman was determined to figure out a way to make heavy baskets more manageable, according to mentalfloss.com.
Related Links
What’s The Best Time/Day To Go Grocery Shopping? (October 22, 2020)